Through the Ages: Tirgoviste
by Angela Kinetic
Summary: The final in the surprise trilogy of Through the Ages. Fourteen years have passed since Aislyn was born Kate has taken up where her parents left of in the American branch of the Holy Order and there is one last thing to clear up.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello! I will be writing in alternate chapters between this and my other fic, so once one chapter goes up in one; that next chapter in the other one, will be following soon. That way, nothing will die and there won't be a left open story ; Tirgoviste is Vlad Tepes Dracula's castle in Romania it is also rumored to be host to many spirits and even the ghost of Vlad Dracula himself. :Totally plans to visit:

Prolog-

_"Mommy…Daddy, why can't I come?" A very young Aislyn Ani Van Helsing asked, sleepily. _

_Gabriel Van Helsing, scooped her up and held her close next to his wife, Anna, the now queen of gypsies; well any that happened to still be around in the 21st century._

_"You might get hurt." Gabriel said, his green eyes shining._

_"When will you be back?" _

_"Soon, dear…" Anna kissed her daughter as the door to Valken's apartment opened to reveal the smiling man._

_"Hey, sleepily head, have a long ride?" Valken asked, smiling at his niece, who looked ready to sleep._

_"Goodbye, little one, see you soon." Gabriel hugged his daughter one last time._

_"We promise." Anna kissed Aislyn's forehead and Valken took her into his arms._

Twelve year-old Aislyn shot up in her bed, shaking with the dream. For the last two years that same dream had haunted her; that was the very night she had last seen her parents alive. Since then she had lived with her uncle Valken and sometimes her Godfather Carl when Valken was off playing shows, as he was the drummer in the band, Red Nocturne.

_You said…you'd be back soon…_She rubber her arms and shivered, as though she was being watched. _But…you never came back…_ A silent tear ran down her face and she shook it away. Looking at her door she swung her feet onto the cool floor of the apartment and groped around for a pair of pants. Pulling on some baggy black Tripp pants she roughly yanked on her boots and pulled her hair back. _I need to…I should be out there looking…with Kate…not here…_

Aislyn looked up at the old church, the very one that had been destroyed in an attack that had been passed off as riots. Its gothic appearance always gave her comfort, knowing that she had a set path in life. One that had been set by her parents and one she was determined to pick up.

"What are you doing out here?" A familiar voice whispered, as a hand was laid gently upon her shoulder. "You'll make Valken go gray before his time."

"I want to come with you on assignments." Aislyn said, resolutely.

"You're too young, Ani."

"Kate…I should be out there looking for my parents, with you and Carl and Valken and everyone else…"

"And you will be, in time."

"I can't wait! I've waited since I was ten! Wondering, worrying and knowing you can do more!" She shook her head, shaking away the tears that threatened to boil up and slide away. "You don't know what its like…"

Kate sighed and turned the girl to face her. "I didn't find out what my parents did until I was fifteen…at least Gabriel and Anna…didn't try and hide it until you were eighteen. I don't what its like to loose them…and I hope I never do, but do you think they'd want you risking your neck at twelve?"

"I…I don't know, but they aren't around to clear that up, are they? My parents just disappeared, Kate, and I have a right to help them! And I'm going to weather you want me to or not!" Aislyn had raised her voice and Kate sighed.

"I'd be butchered if I let you go off and hunt monsters and look for your parents by yourself with no real training…" Kate muttered, she seemed to be chewing something over in her head.

Aislyn dislodged herself from her elder and sat on the crumbling steps with her chin in her hands.

"Fine. Only in secret though, I'd loose my place if anyone found out…so don't say and word."

"Ok!"

"And don't do anything if I say its too dangerous, ok?"

"Sure!"

"I'll walk you back home…there is a necromancer about…"

Aislyn shivered, again, like she was being watched, but smiled.

_Mom…dad…I promise before god and before this building…I will find you._


	2. Kevin?

"Ani! Aislyn Ani Valerious-Van Helsing! Would you stop, already!" Deep chocolate brown hair flew back in the wind as 14 year-old Aislyn sprinted through the forest clutching a Katana. Kate Hartford followed her closely, ducking branches and leaping rocks, her own blade firmly planted in her sword hand.

"No way, I have to see this!"

"Its too dangerous!" Kate yelled jumping over an outcropping of rocks in her path. "You could get-" Suddenly and much faster than the young huntress could react a branch whipped into her line of vision and caught her just so in the middle, that she spun over the branch and crumpled onto the forest floor with a thud.

"Hurt?" Aislyn had stopped and turned looking, curiously down at her teacher.

"Yes. Ok, owies!" Kate winced and dug her blade into the ground and used it to pull herself back up. "What were you thinking! Do you realize just how dangerous of an assignment this is?" She growled.

"Yeah, and I thought you'd need the help." Aislyn looked up at her teacher, nearly having to step back. You see, Kate had grown to a very tall height of 6 foot 3 inches over the years.

Aislyn Ani Van Helsing had grown from a mere baby to a grand young woman and Kate Hartford had become a great huntress, one of the American branch of the Holy Order's best, in fact. Kate took Aislyn as her assistant after Gabriel Anna Van Helsing mysteriously disappeared when Aislyn was only 10; since then Kate had been assigned to find them with the help of Carl and Valken, Anna's brother. In secret Kate had been teaching Aislyn to become a huntress for the past two years.

"I don't want you to get hurt. Wasn't Carl supposed to be watching you, anyways?" Kate cocked an eyebrow in the murky darkness.

"I don't need a sitter, I'm 14 remember?" Aislyn put her hands on her hips, much like her mother.

"Remember your 14, yourself. You are not invincible, I think that was proven only a few nights ago."

"…That wasn't fair, he cheated!"

"Vampire."

Aislyn sighed and rolled her oddly, yet beautiful green and amber-ringed eyes; Kate looked at her charge and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Well, you're here now…I suppose it couldn't hurt…if you came…"

"Really! Can I?" Aislyn cut Kate short.

"Only. Only if you listen to what I say. Got it?"

"Fine…"

"Good…er…now, I believe you where just bounding noisily off that way?" Kate pointed into the darkness, were just in the distance, an odd green light floated. Aislyn nodded and turned to start off again, but Kate shot out her hand and caught it in the sash that hung around her waist.

Aislyn glared back. "Don't you want to help me find my parents?"

Kate sighed, the loss hit her quite hard. "You know I do…but, remember the rule?"

"Caution to the wind when approaching strange things?"

"Right." Kate let Aislyn go and removed her sword from the ground. "Lets go find them."

The duo started off into the enveloping blackness, leaving all though of the torches that lay flickering in the rocks, behind. Creeping over sticks, rocks and fallen branches, trying not to make even the slightest noise, they finally found the source of the light. It was hovering off the ground, level with the edge of a drop. Its green color seemed to pulsate and ripple like water and it was spinning ever so slowly. On the ground below there seemed to be a rip in the air itself, exposing more of the same green light. Figures were dashing about and a commanding voice rang out, making everyone stop dead. The voice was deep, smooth like velvet and had something to it that neither woman could place.

"Bring the creature through!" The male voice barked, the light in the rip glowed fiercely.

A faint rumbling noise started just beyond the measure of Kate's advanced hearing, but soon, grew to a deafening roar that shook the trees. Aislyn held tight to the sides of her head, gritting her teeth but keeping her eyes open and locked on the situation. A dark and looming shadow appeared in the rip, growing larger with each passing second; the figure was thrown out and hit the earth with a crumpling thud and all activity ceased.

Aislyn released her head and Kate squinted to get a look at the face of the thing that was just ejected from the rip; it looked…well…patched together to say anything else. The creature seemed stunned, but as several hooded figures with chains stepped forward; fear seemed to grip the large creature and it violently attacked, tossing one into the other. Trying desperately to run, its hood came off.

"Frankenstein!" The voice boomed.

_What!_ Kate's eyes bulged and Aislyn blinked.

"What do you want from me!" Frankenstein bellowed.

"You know." The voice was now given a body, cloaked in robes but a body nonetheless. A foot under Kate's height but twice her width in terms of muscles.

"I want to be left in peace!" The man had now gotten close enough to Frankenstein that he could reach out.

"Oh…I'm afraid that peace is not why you were made." Frankenstein's hands shot out and caught on the man's robes, pulling them down, to reveal a hardened face with pale skin and sharp mahogany eyes.

_KEVIN!_ Kate's mind screamed, she could no longer keep her grip on her blade, it slipped from her shaking hands and tumbled down the drop; it landed with a noisy clang, echoing around the canyon.


	3. Reassembling

_Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Van Helsing, save for a few bits of merch, so I do declare I am borrowing these lovely characters. Don't sue me, I don't have enough money to afford a lawyer, I'm a poor college student._

_Author's Note: I deeply and humbly apologize to my readers, if any are still left. Life got very complicated, very quickly. I'm glad to announce that I'm accepted and about to attend my first choice college and am ready to join the ranks of adult within the next month. I'm going to finish out this story and take another break._

**Chapter 3-**

Kate paced back and forth impatiently in Carl's lab; there were simply too many unanswered questions.

"What do you mean they never recovered a body? I specifically said to find his body and give Kevin a proper burial! I said it. You were there Carl, don't you remember telling the others that if they found a body to report to me right away and we could then-" Her rant was cut off by one of her underlings, Wildman.

"Look, you've read the report, no? You saw we searched the world over for his body and couldn't find it! What were we supposed to do? Keep searching until we found him and he killed us? We followed procedure, Kate." He stated, indicating his report, which now lay splayed open on the table before them.

"Sometimes procedure isn't enough! What have I always told you? Sometimes you have to think outside the box to do your job." Kate gestured wildly. "All I'm saying is you could have followed those vampires and did a little recon. Then when you found him…well you can fill in the rest, Wildman." She had calmed down a bit, but had yet to stop pacing. Wildman just stared at his superior and shook his head.

"I think you're overreacting. It shouldn't have come as that much of a surprise, Kate. He was attacked by vampires and there was no body, this end would have been common sense to me." He began to replace the papers in his report. "Besides, you know what's become of him, why do you just give his soul a little rest, instead of sending one of use to do it?" Kate spun around, her emotions flaring again.

"Are you kidding me?! I can't go put a stake through Kevin's heart! The emotional connection we had…when he was still alive…was too great! I'd be putty in his hands. I couldn't do it, he's a very strong willed guy, that in a vampire…that's like trying to move a mule." Kate now resembled a lion in a cage. She moved about the room and threw her hands wildly about, nearly taking out Carl in the process. "That's why one of you has to do it. There's that whole loved one thing. I couldn't kill him in life and certainly not now, not even with what he's become. He's still…Kevin, somewhere. But he's tortured. Just…you need to do it." Kate finished with her back turned to Wildman, she still hadn't noticed Carl, who was now questioning whether he intruded on something privet.

"Alright…I'll put together a team…" Wildman's tone softened. Kate and Wildman had butted heads several times before on matters of protocol, but he was not blind to facts. "But just so you know, it's going to have to wait until I get this recon in South Africa done." He pushed the remainder of the papers into the file, straightened up and quickly moved out of the room.

Carl had taken up a position near the back of the room, he was looking in yet another folder, actually immersed would be a better word, it seemed he was doing everything in his power to avoid hearing a word of what went on in the room. Kate groaned and ran her hand down her face with a tired sigh. She turned to the mini fridge in the break room and took out a water, downing it in one gulp. It had been a long night. Aislyn was back at Velkan's apartment under strict orders not to leave or open the door for anyone except members of The Order. She put her water bottle under the sink and turned it on, glancing back over her shoulder she smiled to herself and cleared her throat loudly. Carl glanced up and blinked, he hesitated, wondering if that was a signal to leave; he nervously fingered the edges of the folder.

"Uh…so what do you have for me, Carl?" Kate said, deciding that if she didn't break the silence now Carl would get too nervous and leave. Even after knowing her for so long he still didn't like to intrude on her more emotional moments.

He jumped at being addressed in such a casual tone, but laid the folder out on the table. "Well, I analyzed the soil samples you took from the grounds and there is evidence of definite time rifts. But it's not a naturally occurring phenomenon, no, this was opened demonically." He presented Kate, who had joined him at the table, with a complicated series of graphs that showed a normal time line, one that opens naturally- similar to a wormhole and one that was opened using demonic influence, which he then proceeded to explain. "Whatever Kevin was looking for it's likely that it was hidden somewhere in the past."

"Frankenstein."

"What?"

"Frankenstein…that's who Kevin brought out of the portal."

"But…why"  
"He said something about using him again…we need to find them."

Kate jumped up from her crouched position next to the table, quickly rushing out of the room, leaving Carl confused and rather bewildered.

**3 weeks later-**

The lights of the Las Vegas skyline shown in the distance like a glittering beacon of civilization. But James was far from the city, in the middle of the Nevada desert, responding to a page he had received from his boss. However James was of the opinion that the desert held more fascinating things than the city ever could, things far more peaceful, even if his present surroundings were anything but. He climbed out of the SUV, picked up his metal brief case and headed toward the light-flooded area.

"This couldn't wait."

"What have we got?"

He replied curtly, tonight was his night off and he _had _been enjoying a leisurely dinner in his often missed home.

"Two bodies, both female; there are no signs of struggle or even obvious injury but they seem to have lost a great deal of blood…"

"Right, well I'll need everyone to clear the body and I'll let you know when I'm finished processing the scene."

James replied pulling on his rubber gloves and setting out to examine the bodies. Another CSI hovered over him with a camera snapping pictures as they went. The minutes turned into hours and at midnight he was finished processing the entire scene. He had made his way back to the bodies once more and knelt by them, confounded.

He knew something wasn't right about the scene when he saw the bodies; they held all the signs of significant blood loss, however the blood was nowhere to be found and the only injuries on both of the bodies were identical puncture marks on the victims necks. Presently all he could do was kneel by the bodies and study them, he couldn't do a thing until the corner arrived. He stood and looked around at the scene, trying to imprint as much of it into his mind as he could. He glanced back at the bodies. The girls looked to be in their early twenties, they would have been very pretty and their dress tagged them for a night on the town. Tourists maybe? James pulled out a small notebook and flipped it open.

_Victims appear to have no visible injuries other than two identical puncture marks in their necks above the jugular. Obviously they bled to death, however there was no blood present on the scene. Scene appears to be a dumpsite. _

As he continued to scribble a tall, skinny and balding man strode up to him. The man cleared his throat; James looked up casually.

"Can I help you?" He said shutting the notebook, tucking it into his pocket.

"You are Dr. James Argery?" The man was dressed in a black suit and happened to tower over the other.

James craned his neck, he never grew much, and in fact his growth stopped at 5'9", leaving literally in the shadow of his cousin, Kate. "Yes…who are you?"

"I am Detective Ralph Brown of the Las Vegas Special Victims Unit. I am here to assist you."

"Uh-huh…assist me? Right." He had never heard of a Detective Brown. "So you think these two women where sexually assaulted before they died?" James took a step or two away from Detective Brown.

"We suspect they were violated, however we won't know until the corner arrives." He stated definitely; James cocked his head.

"He's late." James said glancing at his watch, which now read one o'clock. "Unless our killer is very good at covering things up it doesn't look like a rape happened."

"I said we suspected that they were violated. I didn't say anything about rape."

James raised an eyebrow. "How long have you been with the SVU, Detective Brown?" Something didn't sit well with him about this man.

At that moment another SUV pulled up and the corner stepped out and hurried over. The man was dressed in blue windbreaker with a blue hat pulled low over his eyes and a case in his hands.

"Sorry I'm late, I got caught in traffic, accident on the main through-way, a real pain in the arse." He hurriedly explained and moved toward the bodies; however James blocked his path.

"Hold up! Who are you?"

The man stopped and looked to Detective Brown indignantly.

"I'm the corner. Now if you'll please." The man waved his hands indicating that he would like James to step away from the bodies.

"Where's David?"

The man made an annoyed noise. "This case is now under the SVU, didn't Ralph explain?" The man again moved for the bodies and once more James placed himself between them.

"Oh no. I'm not letting either of you near these bodies until I see some ID's and I get a proper explanation. None of the evidence has been processed yet, there is no reason to change who is in charge of this case."

The man straightened up to his full height, he was shorter than James, and fixed him with a solid stare, annoyance flickered throughout his whole face. "Didn't Detective Brown explain _anything_?" He stared pointedly at the detective, who seemed to shrink under the corner's stare.

"Somebody better start explaining or I'm getting an officer."

"Alright, alright." The man said, setting down his briefcase. "I'm Dr. Marvin Rowland of the Las Vegas Special Victims Unit and this is my assistant, Detective Ralph Brown."

"Yeah I have that part; there are no signs of a rape." James protested.

"Allow me to finish, Dr. Argery. The Las Vegas SVU has nothing to do with the unit that deals with all sexual assault cases. We are a different branch of the LVPD…we are part of the Knights of the Holy Order. We investigate demonic crimes; surly you must remember that every major city has a division."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. The Holy Order?! Did Kate send you?" James had not even heard of Las Vegas having a division, Kate didn't mention one at all.

"Yes and no. Our department had been investigating increased Vampiric activity in Las Vegas when we got the call from Kate to find you and deliver a letter. It was too sensitive to be sent to your office and apparently you're a bit of a workaholic." Dr. Rowland finished as Detective Brown fished an envelope addressed to James in Kate's half cursive handwriting.

"…So where does that leave me?"

"I don't know, read the letter. But we need to process this scene."

"I've already done it…just get the body out of here so I can go home."

Detective Brown pulled on a pair of latex gloves and bend down next to Dr. Rowland.

"It's nice to know we'll have an easy job of it tonight, Marvin, this place looks like a hasty hiding spot." Detective Brown said, turning one girl over onto her face.

James walked a little ways away from the bodies and glanced back, then to the letter. He narrowed his eyes and ripped it open.

_Dear James, _

The Order needs you. Kevin has been transformed into a vampire, Frankenstein has been brought forward through time again and things are starting to come apart at the seams. Demonic activity has increased ten fold throughout the nation; surely you've had more crimes that look demonic in nature. I can't tell you much more than this. It's been cleared with your superiors that you are now assigned to your DCSI unit and you are to work these mysterious cases with two others. Give me a call when you get this.

_Love Kate_

He stared at the letter and grimaced, taking out his cell phone and dialing in Kate's number. He listened to it ring a few times.

"Hello?"

"Kate…what the hell is going on?"

"James! I'm so glad you got the note." Kate's tone brightened significantly and James suspected heavy news.

"Kevin is a vampire?"

"Yeah…well…about three weeks ago I ran into him trying to bring something through a temporal portal, it turned out to be Frankenstein. I don't think he saw me, but, I can't be sure. If he did he's made no attempts to come after me…though his mind could be so clouded by what happened to him he couldn't remember me at all. Long story short Frankenstein is still missing and we think he's in hiding. But Vampiric and general demonic activity has shot up. It's like they are rallying for something."

"Uh-huh, and where exactly do I fit in?"

"I'm getting to that. With all this increases activity we've been able to grab a few leads but they all turn up missing or dead the moment we contact them. We can't figure out how they died…so we need to fly you in."

"Fly me in? Kate, I can't I have two other cases that I need to finish!"

"I straightened it all out with your boss, they've got someone else on your cases."

"I can't just leave."

"Actually you're booked on the next flight out. I just finished booking it now."

James growled into the phone, he hated it when she did that. Now he would have to take the flight out because if he didn't he would feel bad. "Fine. How long?"

"Until we find Anna and Gabriel."

"Now you know I can't stay away that long!"

"Relax. We have our sources that point to Transylvania, you shouldn't be gone more than a month."

"A month! Kate I'm the head of the department over here. I can't be gone for that long."

"James. Come on. I haven't asked you to help since you left. I'm asking you now…please."

"Damn it Kate…Fine, fine…what about Detective Brown and Dr Rowland?"

"They're coming with you. Do your homework on the Order's DCSI, they're very good, they won't be a bother."

"As soon as we're done with this scene we're on the next plane…right?"

"Of course."

"…I'll see you later…"

"Thank you. See you soon."

James hung up the phone and looked to his two impromptu partners and grimaced at the prospect of leaving all his work for something he'd given up on years ago.


	4. Las Vegas to Orlando: Nonstop

**Chapter 4-**

James rubbed the back of his neck with a grimace and looked over at his new partners, Detective Brown and Dr. Rowland. The former was dead asleep in his seat and Dr. Rowland was reading silently by the window. James blinked and moved a bit in his seat, glanced at his watch and finally reached up for the button that would call a flight attendant over, fully intending to get a hold of a coffee, but the captain's voice came on over the intercom.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we will be landing in Orlando shortly, please return your trays in the upright and locked position."

Dr. Rowland looked up from his book and peered out the window, the sun was shining brightly among the clouds, causing the man to squint. A low growl came from Detective Brown as he woke up to find the sun glaring into his face.

"Shut that, will you?" He mumbled before rubbing his face. "Where are we?"

"Just about to land, you were gone for the whole trip." James said, anxious to land, he had an intense hatred of long flights, mostly because the time difference put him at an extreme disadvantage.

"I was just coming off a double shift when I met you…" The detective muttered, sitting up and rolling his neck.

"Know how that feels…" James said, having done triple shifts in the past.

The plane hit the landing strip with a jolt that was sure to wake anyone who was still sleeping. Soon the plane had taxied itself to a terminal and the normal line up was taking place, the attendants bidding their passengers a good morning. James exited the terminal quickly, thankful for the chance to stretch his legs. Detective Brown and Dr. Rowland brought up the rear, moving in a more sluggish manner, but keeping up.

The site that greeted the group was a bustling airport, crowded for that time of the morning. James's eyes flicked around the waiting area, trying to spot a familiar face, or anyone who might look like they belonged to The Order, but all that met him were the tired faces of travelers and the backs of his fellow passengers as they streamed past him.

_Who did Kate say would be meeting me? Did she say? Ugh…I can't remember…I need coffee…_

"Jimmy!" The voice was young and eager, but he couldn't place it. He turned in the direction it came from and was nearly taken off his feet by Aislyn, his companions immediately went on alert, but relaxed when they saw him hug the young girl back. "I haven't seen you since forever!" She said excitedly and embraced him again.

"Ani, shouldn't you be in school?" He said, looking down at the girl.

"Jimmy! Come on, it's break. I have a whole three weeks to myself. You know what that means." Her eyes sparkled with delight and James frowned, he had forgotten that she didn't attend the public school he went to when he was growing up, she went to a privet year-round school.

"They sent _a kid _to fetch us?" He sounded offended.

"Hey! I'm not a kid!" Aislyn said angrily. "Who are you anyway?"

"Detective Brown."

"Yeah well I'm Aislyn Ani Valerious-Van Helsing."

The two looked at the girl with surprise and Dr. Rowland raised his eyebrows. At that moment Velkan strode up, two coffees in his hands, he broke into a smile when he saw James.

"James! Have a nice flight?" He set the coffees down on the floor and shook hands with the young man and then turned to the two others. "Velkan Valerious." He held out his hand.

"I'm Detective Brown and this is my colleague Dr. Rowland." The men shook hands and Velkan stooped to pick the coffees up again.

"Can we get to headquarters? I want to start." James said, looking longingly at one of the coffees.

"Can I carry your bags, Jimmy? Please? Aislyn said.

"Sure."

The group, now being properly introduced made their way toward bagged claim and eventually the exits.

**Everglades-**

Kevin stood looking out of the window; UV blocking film had been applied to every window in the complex which he was looking down on. His "complex" had once been the home of a plantation owner, but had since fallen into disuse. He'd known about it sine he was a boy; it was legally his, after-all. It had been in his family for generations, he just never had any need to mention it to anyone, until now. He smiled a thin, joyless smile, a conqueror's smile. He had raised the ruins of this property from dust to the grandeur that surrounded him. Under his direction the rag-tag group of vampires that kidnapped him had quickly risen to be some of the most feared. He was finally able to do what he was never able to do as a human, a hunter. He was finally able to quench his lust for power, a lust that he suppressed as a human. The mahogany desk and large crimson leather swivel chair that stood behind him rested on rich wooden floors, the whole office was decorated in dark wood and deep reds. The office was in pristine condition, perfectly cleaned, not a speck of dust anywhere. It looked untouched. From his vantage point he watched the sunrise, briefly he reveled in the glory of having conquered the common vampire's most hated enemy; the sun.

The door to the office flew open and a dusty, ragged looking man trooped in, dirt from his shoes fell onto the floor and Kevin turned, a brief look of disgust passed over his face.

"Rancor, must you track your dirty little paw prints everywhere?" He said coolly.

"I goes where I needs to. Dirty or not. I can't help it if I just came from gettin' ya what ya wanted. I can't help that I got a little dirty doin' it, either." Came the man's gruff reply.

"Then by all means…enter, but next time, wipe your feet." Kevin gestured to Rancor, who continued up to the desk and dropped an equally dusty scroll on the table.

"Israel's dusty." He grunted, spreading out the scroll. Kevin smiled in satisfaction.

"Good…Good…Yes…this is what I've waited for."

The scroll was not old, it looked no less than a year old. Written hastily on the inside was a complex mathematical equation.

"What about payment? I did my job now I who do I go to for money?"

"Money?" Kevin's eyes flicked to Rancor with slight amusement. "I let you live, isn't that enough?"

Rancor seemed taken aback, angry, almost. "I'm a mercenary, _Sir,_ I do things for money. That's what a mercenary is."

"I think letting you live beyond today is payment enough."

"Don't forget, Kevin, I know your weakness. I can easily exploit that to some very strong willed werewolves. I know a few who would love to taste vampire blood." Rancor said darkly, his deep South American accent cut into his tone.

"_My weakness_? Now I believed that dyed out with Dracula. I've evolved." Kevin was now staring straight into the man's eyes, his own having grown very icy.

"You vampires are all alike, I should know, I've killed enough of you Dracula's spawn." He spat the words out.

"I am much different from Dracula…let me assure you of that!" Kevin's hand shot out and caught Rancor under the chin, effectively paralyzing him. "Dracula was just the working model for the future of vampires. I am the perfected version. I am Dracula Beta if you will…I cannot be killed. My underlings have made perfectly certain of that little detail." He hissed, closing the gap between the two. "I will let you live. That will be your payment." He was now right next to the man, who's eyes flared with shame at letting his guard down long enough to get himself into this predicament.

"F-Fine!" Rancor choked out, Kevin released him and he rubbed his chin, a red welt hand begun to form.

"Now go. Before I change my mind over your insolence!" Kevin roared. Rancor turned and slipped out of the room, but not before uttering an unheard vow.

_You'll pay, nobody crosses me. _

**Holy Order Headquarters-**

James looked around at his office, it was like he never left. He placed the last item on his desk and smiled faintly.

"Thanks again for coming, Jim…" Kate was leaning against the doorframe, like she did when she was younger.

He turned and flashed her one of his best smiles, a smile he showed to few people nowadays. "How could I say no? You practically put me on the plane."

"I…I know you…I'm sorry." Was all she could say.

James froze, had he heard right? "It's…it wasn't your fault. Not everyone is cut out for demon hunting. I was being stubborn, stupid, arrogant, childish…"

"I shouldn't have pushed you. I didn't mean, I mean, I…Anna and Gabriel had just disappeared and now you were just about to do the same, I mean, it came out of nowhere and I…"

"Even?" James said, adjusting his glasses.

"Even." Kate said and swiftly pulled her cousin into a hug, which he whole-heartedly returned.

"How's Ani been holding up?" He said, timidly, not sure how he should go about addressing the subject of Aislyn. He'd hurt her too, by leaving so suddenly.

"I honestly can't tell…I mean, I know she's sad, god knows she's sad…but…she's learned to hide it."

"I need to tell her I'm sorry…I hurt a lot of people around here. Libby and Alice? Where are they?"

"You can talk to her later, Jim. Libby just opened up a practice in Boston and Alice is still with the Military."

"Oh…I never thought her a…never mind. When is the briefing?"

Kate smiled at her cousin fondly and shook her head. "It's a wonder you haven't burnt out, yet. It's at one. Get something to eat, sleep a little, you're welcome to the couch in Carl's lab, he said it should be safe." With that Kate continued down the hallway.

James looked at the spot she had been standing in and sighed, it was weird for him to be back, he could see that people were surprised to see him. Shaking his head he headed toward Carl's lab and the promise of a little sleep. He was exceptionally tired after his long shift and flight. Navigating the familiar halls he was surprised at the number of new faces he saw, apparently the offices had grown much more than he thought.


	5. James's Reasons

**Chapter 5-**

_"I need this for me, Kate."_

_Kate looked up from the folder she was reading and fixed me with an indecipherable gaze. Despite her jaw being firmly set, I could tell the last few months had weighted heavily on her. Gabriel and Anna's disappearance had come as a mild shock, but what I found at the scene of their last contact was too much. All the evidence pointed to their deaths, but without bodies, it wasn't smart safe to assume death. Kate's eyes had circles dark as night under them and her face was drawn, like she hadn't been remembering to eat. _

_"No." I could feel my jaw drop open slightly. _

_"Kate, you know that I can't very well-"_

_"No Jim, I need you here, not running around in Las Vegas. You're the best guy I've got. I want you working on this case." Her voice was calm, but its quiver betrayed the emotion that raced just below the service. _

_I took a step toward her desk and indicated to the report. "The evidence points to their deaths. Whether they stay that way, I don't know because I don't have a body. I can't stay here and chase every lead that pops up. I don't have that kind of patience when everything in me and in the evidence is telling me to just drop it." I withdrew another folder from under my arm and dropped it on her desk, I knew my manner wasn't helping things, but I just couldn't stay in Orlando. I wasn't cut out to be a demon hunter or a DCSI. I spent my teenaged years doing it and now I wanted to be just normal. _

_She eyed the folder and picked it up. "What's this?" She said curtly, not even bothering to read it. _

_"My final report on the evidence."_

_"I'm not closing this case just because there isn't any evidence, Jim, you know we've solved tougher on less."_

_"Yeah well it's been two months. It's time to let it be." _

_"Damn it, I can't!" She exploded, throwing the folder to the desk and standing, sending her chair into the wall. "I can't just give up when they could still be alive! I can't risk the chance that they are out there, their souls still fighting to be extricated from the hell they've been placed in! I can't, not after what happened to Kevin and his team. You can't honestly expect me to look the Cardinal in the eye, hell, forget him. How can you expect me to look Ani in the eye and tell her that we've given up?" _

_"Because there is no evidence to say otherwise! Kate, listen to me, for once, stop being so desperate about this, and just listen!" I grabbed my cousin's shoulders and forced her to face me. "The Cardinal will understand. Ani will understand. In time, she'll understand."_

_Kate pushed me off and turned away, gritting her teeth. She was being childish and stubborn._

_"Jim, I can't believe you're making me do this."_

_"Making you do what? Realize that you're being foolish?"_

_"No. Making me order you to stay."_

_"Yeah well, I hoped you wouldn't. I already handed in my letter of resignation to the Cardinal."_

_"WHAT?!" Kate wheeled around to face me, she was livid; the little stress vein in her neck became very prominent. "How could you do that?! You're on an active case!"_

_I closed my eyes, rubbing the sides of my head: I could feel a headache building from the noise. "Actually, as of two o'clock this morning the Valerious-Van Helsing case is closed." _

_All the emotion drained from my cousin's face, taking the color along with it. She suddenly looked much older. "James…w-what…"_

_"I closed the case."_

_"You don't have the authority to…"_

_"As lead DCSI and assistant to the lead Investigator, I have full right to bring it up to the Cardinal should the need arise. It's arisen, Kate. You're sucking yourself dry with this one. We've got nothing. It's over and we have to accept the fact that we might never know." I said blandly, watching Kate sit back down in her seat and rub her eyes. I made no attempts to comfort her, as she was undoubtedly furious at my actions. _

_"What the hell are you going to say to Ani?" Was all that she mumbled. _

_The image dissolved and was replaced with a confused Aislyn. She was years younger, but one could easily see her mother's determination and her father's build in her._

_"What…are you saying, Jimmy?"_

_"Well…we may never know."_

_"But…they promised…."_

_"We do a dangerous job, Ani, whatever got hold of your parents was powerful…it'll resurface again, but until then, the case is closed."_

_"Why…why should it be? I'm not going to stop looking! They're my parents! I want to see them again. Dead or alive."_

_"Because it's eating away at the lives of our best people. It's no way for you to grow up, never having closure."_

_"And closing the case will bring it?! I don't care about myself, I just want to see my parents again!"_

_"The Cardinal closed it officially, Ani. There's nothing you can do. I'm sorry…" I tried to reach out for the young girl, her lip had begun to quiver noticeably, but she pulled away._

_"I can't believe you're giving up!" She angrily said, pulling her knees to her chest. _

_"I'm…I…there's no evidence." It was lame, but it was the best I could do without divulging any information about just why the Cardinal so readily agreed. _

_"Evidence? Jimmy The Holy Order isn't a court. My mom and dad killed evil things; things that didn't deserve a trial, now they are gone and their closest friends are just abandoning them? Because there isn't any evidence." She was on her feet now; tears welling up in her eyes, I almost didn't want to tell her that I was leaving. _

_"Ani…I. the Cardinal thought it would be best if…I just can't…I need to take some time for me."_

_At my words she whipped around to face me and the coldness in her eyes stunned me, I didn't think eyes that danced even when the chips were down could be that cold. _

_"You're leaving me too?" She barely whispered the words, but I heard them loud and clear._

_"Ani, you have to understand that there are things going on that are bigger than you and I here. Not everyone is cut out for The Holy Order." I began, intent on telling her the truth. _

_"No duh, Jimmy! Of course there are bigger things going on! It's God and Satan! We fight for God's Kingdom, Jimmy! We protect humanity because we were sent to do so and disobeying would be like telling God to shove it! You and Kate and everyone else found that hourglass for a designed reason! We have to protect it! Mom and dad already did that, and what are you doing to repay them for their training? Running away?"_

_"You don't understand." I had said it; the one phrase that would put me right on the top of Ani's pre-teen shit list. Accusing her of not understanding was like accusing a guilty man of being innocent. It just didn't work. Her frustrated yell could be heard from the tops of the Order's headquarters no doubt. _

_"FINE! I don't understand! I don't understand why mom and dad are gone! I don't understand why everyone except for Kate is running away from this case! I don't understand, because how could I possibly know what it's like to loose everything I've ever cared about! I don't understand because I'm young. I don't understand! GOD DAMN IT!" She tore out of the room with another yell; I could feel the heat of her anger and knew that I couldn't take that particular conversation back. _

James's eyes shot open and he was glowering up at Carl, who looked just as surprised to see him as he was to wake up on Carl's couch, in his office and in once piece.

"I didn't know you came back James."

"I didn't know I was coming back until last night."

"Oh."

"Well…what time is it…" He said lamely, there was an obvious awkwardness in the air as he fumbled for his watch.

"12:30. I thought, I'd come and read." Carl said, indicating to a book, which happened to be a dictionary, James shook his head.

"Carl, you always sucked at lying."

"That's a good thing. Friar's can't lie."

James smiled and sat up on the couch. Carl watched him curiously. "What?"

"You were tossing and turning. You aren't having nightmares again?"

"Not exactly."

"Hm."

The man shuffled further into his office, lifted up some folders before halting and facing James, Carl just couldn't hold back anymore.

"What's it like to be a human CSI?"

"Normal. Very normal and safe compared to here."

"That's why you left, isn't it? So you could feel normal for once."

"I suppose, but then again, working the graveyard shift isn't exactly normal. Not when you know what lurks beneath the surface."

"Do you every worry about what could happen, if your team encountered a werewolf or something else?"

"Every time we get a mysterious death. No rest for the damned, eh?"

"No."

James wasn't sure that Carl caught his reference, but he shrugged it off and stood, stretching.

"I suppose I should see you later…."

"Yes."

Just as he was leaving Carl called out.

"James!"

"Hm?"

"What is the basis of all knowledge?"

James smiled deeply at his mentor's acceptance of all his reasons for leaving and returning, even unsaid as they were. "Science." He vanished from the doorway, leaving Carl looking at the spot were he stood, smiling from ear to ear for the first time in years.


	6. Revisiting The Scene

James pushed open the door and was met with the typical meeting room for The Order; a drab room with a long wooden table surrounded by many straight-backed wooden chairs. He took a seat and spread out his folders before him and began to study Kevin's disappearance.

_A simple recon mission in South Africa…small, militant group of vampires got too close to a warlock's formula for crystallizing flesh but retaining the life. It was unsure if the vampires actually knew what they were stumbling after, they appeared to be hired by…the same warlock. Said warlock had lost his memory in a battle with a few Order agents in Israel…the formula was never recovered. _

He flipped through the pages of the file to the profile of the vampires, they looked harmless enough, your garden variety thugs, actually.

_So how did Kevin and his team become overwhelmed by this bunch…something is not right. _

He continued to read on through the gritty details of the crime scene and he had to stop eventually, he knew the details of the only body found. Mutilated beyond the capacity of a vampire, almost werewolf-like wounds, bite marks consistent with a normal human.

_I never really got around to going through that, probably a zombie attack, though the mutilation isn't consistent with any known zombie attacks._

At that moment Kate entered the room and stopped, she watched her cousin for a moment before clearing her throat.

"Kate! I-I didn't hear you come in…is it time for the meeting already?"

"Almost…we have a few minutes. Looking over…"

"Kevin's file. I want to know how this happened. I mean, from the report it was a simple recon aimed at a bunch of rag-tag hired thugs. How did he and his team end up, well, vamped?

"The only thing we can come up with is that they were ambushed by the warlock and a hired werewolf."

"But these bite marks don't make sense- who was the DCSI on this case?"

Kate smiled, briefly. "It's nice to see that you're settling back in."

"I'm only tying up loose ends. Then I'm back to Vegas. Back to CSI and the night shift. Back to normalcy"

"Jim…you know about this, you can never be normal again. Think about all the unknown deaths you've gotten and when the medical examiner couldn't figure it out, I bet you knew from the wounds?"

"Ignorance is bliss."

Kate was about to say something else when Dr. Rowland and Detective Brown lumbered in. Brown clutched a cup of steaming coffee to his chest, as if it's mere warmth were waking him up. Rowland looked pleasantly awake, something James couldn't quite understand; he was still wiped from the flight.

"I'm officially reopening Kevin's case. As of now we have the initial scene under our control, our prelims have yielded very little information. We know that Frankenstein was brought through the temporal portal, however we don't know his location. It is imperative that we find him. Detective Brown I'm placing you at the top of that job, take anyone from my department who you will find helpful. Dr. Rowland I want you and James to return to the scene and give us a full analysis of the scene. Look for even the smallest anomaly, I expect you to be completely thorough with this one."

Dr. Rowland nodded in consent and James pulled another folder out and began to go through it.

"Another meeting will be scheduled for tomorrow at the same time." Kate held her gaze on the group for a moment before beginning again. "We don't know just what's been done to Kevin…should any of you encounter him, do not, and I repeat, _do not shoot to kill_. If there is a chance that we can extricate his better half, I want to take it." Detective Brown nodded as Kate swept from the room.

"Alright, so I guess I'm off to comb through personnel files and choose the best this office has to offer." Detective Brown stood, draining the last of his coffee. "Keep me posted you guys."

After he left Dr. Rowland turned to face James, a serious look on his face. "Did you know Kevin?"

James was half expecting this question. "I did. But it won't effect my judgment on this matter."

"Then why did you leave DCSI?"

"I got tired of dealing with the worst of what humanity has forgotten."

"Why did you come back?"

"Kate asked me to."

"Hm." Rowland studied James intently for a moment or two before standing. "No sense in digging up old business, let's get going."

The pair left the room; James was watching Doctor Rowland's back intensely, trying to figure out his new partner.

**Temporal Disturbance Site- **

Buried deep within the Florida forests, the site of the temporal disturbance that Kate and Aislyn observed would normally have been peaceful, wildlife scampering about, birds singing- however there where definite signs of a demonic temporal disturbance, an unnatural chill and quiet hung over the place and the air was heavy, almost suffocating so. The weight of the air pressed around James's shoulders in a very uncomfortable way, every fiber in his being screamed that something was wrong, that he should turn around and run as fast as he could in the other direction. A natural reaction to a demonically hot area; he hated this part of the job, he was much more of a lab rat when he was with the DCSI, he just developed it after working for so long as a demon hunter. He personally knew the carnage that a demonic force could inflict and truthfully it scared him.

This site was a day old, but given the demonic influence there was no animal or human contamination, nor did there appear to be any other signs of demonic visitation. The force used to open the temporal vortex was evident on the ground by a two foot deep and 8 foot around hole; green and black residue was embedded in everything in a 15-foot radius, including the cliff that was just in front of James. All around the area there were voids where the other hooded figures where standing, subsequently substantiating Aislyn and Kate's reports. There were clear footprints leading away from the scene, possibly Frankenstein's, the gimp in his leg showed through a slight drag of the right print. Kate's sword lay just below a void-line. This temporal opening was a very unstable one at best, whoever opened it was very lucky that it didn't reverse itself and suck everything within a mile radius through the crushing void. The whole area was covered in footprints of varying sizes, only a few actually exiting from the scene. Dr. Rowland was kneeling on the ground with a protractor measuring the distance between two points. He held a set of goggles up to his face and pursed his lips, then held the protractor up and studied it.

"Well. This is interesting." Dr. Rowland said, absently; James was kneeling around the perimeter of the depression in the earth, taking soil samples and samples of the two types of residue.

"What is?" James looked back briefly before returning to his scrapings.

"According to this temporal sensor there were two temporal points of origin, however the high one, being just in line with the drop, was more free moving than the one closest to the ground."

"Two? Well that explains the green light that pursued Kate and her accomplice."

"Yes, two. It would also account for the particular instability of the air."

"But why two?"

"The only reason I can think of is a particularly obscure theory of temporal mechanics. It involves the use of duel temporal openings and specific longitude and latitude points. The theory states that these points have a higher probability of spitting out an intended target. I've never seen it used though, since it's extremely unstable and while the probability of success is increased ten fold the risk of temporal collapse is also greatly increased."

"But if Frankenstein was the intended target, why would Kevin need to use this method? He knew exactly what year Frankenstein was located in, hell he even knew the month and day. He was the one who did a temporal check up on the stability of the timeline that we had Frankenstein in."

"Kevin did the maintenance on the timelines?"

"Just Frankenstein's, he had the most experience in that line, since he did a couple of year long stints after we graduated high school and during the summers when he was in college…he just knew how things should be in that time. It didn't seem all that out of the ordinary."

"Didn't it occur to you that after his abduction, that Kevin might try to use his temporal knowledge to bring something through? Like Dracula or the only creature that has ever been brought back to life through scientific means? Means that just about every alchemist and mad scientist have lusted after since his journals were rediscovered in that windmill."

"I wasn't the DCSI on that case and I was leaving that morning for Las Vegas. I accepted all reports at face value. I was done and nothing was ever challenged. After I closed the Van Helsing case I didn't want anything else to do with DCSI or The Order." James said sternly, standing and dropping the evidence he had gathered into his metal case, before turning to face Dr. Rowland.

The Doctor raised his eyebrows at James and scribbled a few notes into his calculations and closed the book. "Ah. I see. Who was the DCSI?"

"Paul Grace. I looked into his reports; all the evidence suggested that Kevin had indeed been killed and not kidnapped."

"Hm."

The hours passed by and the two had completely processed the scene. The amount of evidence was immense, the guys in the lab would be happy with this.

"Alright, so we can officially release this scene for spiritual cleansing?"

"Yeah, but I don't know what good it will do. This amount of temporal forcing done might be too much to be reversed. The duel temporal openings might have permanently disrupted the area's natural peace." Dr. Rowland said, closing his own metal case. James gave him a quizzical look and stood up.

"I thought you said that this whole duel temporal thing has never been tested." James said.

"It's never been proven. The single test that has been done ended in disaster. Everything within a one mile radius was sucked back in time and crushed back into their basic elements." Dr. Rowland stood up, taking his case with him; he strode past James, with a small smile.

"Well that sucks for him."

**Detective Brown's Office- **

"Well Wildman, your credentials seem to be in order. You're in charge of finding out where Kevin's clan of vampires is hiding out and the swiftest way to catch them."

"Apprehend them? You want them _alive_? I can understand bringing Kevin back alive, but the rest of them?"

"They brought Frankenstein through that portal, it's my job to find out why. They could help. Besides, a few of those vampires are on my shit-list."

"Personal mixing with professional, be careful Detective, that could get you into some real hot water." Wildman, smiled at the man before him.

Detective Brown chuckled. "Don't worry Wildman, I know what's oil and what's water."

"Your reputation for being a discerning voice among Demonic Privet Eyes does precede you."

"That's good to know."

Wildman stood and shook the detective's hand before leaving the office with a case file in his hand. Brown sat down and typed Wildman's name into his roster, he looked up when there was a knock at his door. Aislyn stood there, her arms crossed.

"Can I help you?" Brown wasn't accustomed to having a kid hanging around his workspace.

"I looked up your file, Detective. You've got quite a list of accomplishments." Aislyn said from the door.

"Yes?" Brown looked over the top of his laptop screen. _Just what I need; a kid following me around while I'm on the job. _

"Well I just thought that you might let me come with you when you go and look for Frankenstein."

"No."

"Why not! I'm a good huntress."

"You're a kid."

"I'm fourteen!"

"That's still way too young to be risking your life. No."

"I won't get hurt and I won't get in the way."

"Look, I really don't care that you're the daughter of Gabriel and Anna Van Helsing, or that you've already been on a few missions. I work with professionals."

"And what does that make me, huh? Please? I've been on almost ever recovery mission since I turned fourteen, I'm not a noon." Aislyn crossed to the desk and threw down her file.

"Almost every mission, huh?"

"Yes. You can even look at my junior trainee reports. I was perfect."

"Well you'll just have to add this mission to your list."

"Why?"

"You are fourteen. A junior trainee. Only 100 missions under your belt. You've got too much skill to loose your life on a dangerous monster recovery mission."

"Monster?! Frankenstein isn't a monster, he's sweet, scared of humans, but sweet. That's what my mom and dad told me when I was little. He'll know my last name, he won't put up a fight."

"No."

"Fine." Aislyn set her jaw and stomped out of Brown's office. He sighed and drained his coffee. Kate had warned him not to let her go on any mission that didn't concern her parents or if he had enough people. She was to be involved only minimally during this process.

At that moment his cell phone rang, he flipped it open.

"Detective Brown."

"Detective, this is Grimes, I'm out in the field now and I think you need to come see this." The man's voice was laced with fear.

"Should I bring backup?"

"No…but a DCSI and coroner might do the job."

Grimes gave Brown his location and Brown snapped his phone shut, hurrying out of his office.


	7. Aislyn's Plan

**Author Note: I'd just like to thank all my amazing readers, even a few that have actually waited for me to update while this thing was on hold. I start college within the week so there is a very real possibility that this story will have to be put on hold until I get some free time. Could be the first weekend I'm there or it could be over Thanksgiving. All depends. I'll keep writing though. **

_I've never seen something so…violent before. _Detective Grimes thought as he picked his way through the scene, his weapon drawn.

The usually peaceful scene of a small, out of the way, Everglade shantytown was brutally disrupted when something very big tore through the left wing of the town. From where Grimes stood the left wing of the town was more or less the 3rd house to the left. Grimes frowned at the ruble of the former "left wing"; this area had been a hot spot for demonic surveillance for some years, now, it was dust. Well, dust peppered with body parts and touched, ever so lightly with bodily fluids. In short, it reeked.

Grimes pulled the perimeter tape around the last broken corner of a building and tied it off. He took a step back and brought his camera up to his face and began to snap picture after picture.

_Might as well get a jump-start on these guys, after all. _

Time passed and Grimes was just finishing up the perimeter of the town when a nondescript black SUV bounced to a stop on the poor excuse for a road, he stood up straight and looked back to see Detective Brown and the returning DCSI James climbing down from the mammoth SUV. Grimes was around briefly when James was working as a DCSI, the boy certainly had grown into something. When Grimes was around James was still learning the ropes, still just a teenager; Grimes never actually taught anything to him, back then he was assigned to the International Unit. He'd heard various clips when he was stationed in Albania for a few years. Grimes's eyebrow raised. The last time he saw this kid he had a slight case of acne and wore the same type of shirt every day. Now James had grown into a considerably handsome man. He had boyish good looks and the youthful expression in his eyes was dampened a little by the weight of years of demonic crime scene investigation. His hair was cut short and curly; years of straightening his hair and keeping it cut short enough to still be straight had long disappeared. A pair of sunglasses where tucked into the neckline of his smart shirt. His jeans were relaxed enough, if a little rumpled from sleeping in them, which Grimes didn't fault him for; god knows he's been there enough times.

_I remember hearing about the Van Helsing case- that was James's proving ground. He rose pretty quickly through the ranks before hand, but he made lead DCSI in a matter of weeks after the case first surfaced. This kid has talent, wonder why he left?_

"What the hell happened here?" Detective Brown's voice boomed out over the eerily silent landscape.

James looked across the leveled landscape and surveyed Grimes's stout form. Grimes was short, with a hard, searching set of green eyes and lines etched into his chiseled and aged good looks. Wisps of black hair fell across the bridge of his nose and annoyingly enough, behind his light-tinted sunglasses, which served more for fashion than purpose. His attire was sharp and professional, a tailored suit with a silky red shirt and black tie with black dress shoes. James raised a quizzical eyebrow at the man in the midst of the rubble, was this the rugged DCSI turned hunter he'd read about in his files?

"I was hoping the DCSI could answer that question." Grimes said, letting the camera hang around his neck. "Dr. James Argery I presume?" Grimes held a strong hand out to the younger man, who nodded and grasped it with an equal firmness.

"Detective Ronald Grimes?" James said, eyeing the camera.

"One and only, kid." Grimes followed James's gaze and smiled. "Just thought I'd take the perimeter, Doctor. No harm no foul."

"Right." James's tone was light and he flashed Grimes a lighthearted smile. "Sorry, I've gotten to be a little territorial over my crime scenes."

"No big deal, kid, I've been there plenty of time, especially on a hot case."

James nodded and looked around the scene and swept back his hair. "Jeez, whatever did this, well, from just looking around, I'd say two or more, small, around the size of a man, but very violent. Mmmm…from the blows to the buildings, it looks like they were from the outside, so no one on the inside…" James walked under the perimeter tape and stooped to look at a large gash in the ground. "They where wielding axes, or large swords, maybe a hammer or two, from the looks of the damage. No magic…it's quiet, but this stillness is just natural, not the hushed fear of a demonic attack." James pursed his lips and knelt by the corner of the 3rd building from the left.

"So…you're saying that this-this carnage wasn't the work of a demon?" Detective Brown sounded stunned.

"Yes and no." James was now digging in his kit for a pair of rubber cloves.

"What?"

"I see your thinking, kid." Grimes said, stepping under the tape and looking through the lens of his camera. "These guys, assailants, bust down that building over there and completely decimate this little spit of a town…but how? I don't see any evidence of explosives, just brute strength."

"Well, here's the yes part." James stood up; a charred bit of wood was enclosed within a clear plastic bag. "They had a little help, nothing overly demonic, most likely a homegrown strength enhancing potion, possibly an amulet. I'll know more once I process the scene and get the lab results.

The day-glow rubber ball bounced from the walls of Velken's apartment to Aislyn's hand and back again an uncountable number of times.

_Why won't anyone let me go on a mission? I've been on enough to be considered a full agent. Can't they see that I'm great? No matter if I'm 14? Can't they see I want to help? Every case could have something to do with Mom and Dad… _

Her face was rock hard, and with each new bounce of the ball she tossed it a little harder.

_I should just nab the tracking records from the SUV and follow Detective Brown to the scene…it sounded really gory. I should just take what Kate got and run off in my own direction with this "cold case." Hell, I can get access to any file in the Holy Order with my mom's password. If I do my own investigation, then, I can find something that everyone else missed. And follow it and get Mom and Dad back. Then everyone will understand my drive. The drive that I got from Mom and Dad. _

Aislyn threw the ball so hard against the wall it bounced back into her hands with stinging vengeance.

"Ouch!" Aislyn dropped the ball and shook her hands lightly. She watched the ball roll under her desk and frowned at it.

_If I wasn't paying attention to where the ball went, I wouldn't be able to find it, except for its day-glow paint. It's obvious where it is, but if it rolled a little bit further back I couldn't see it at all and I've have to follow the clues to get to it. Might take me a while. I might even give up…but when I returned to the search with fresh eyes…I'd find it again…. just like Mom and Dad. _

Aislyn dove for the ball, stuffed it in her pocket and stood up. Her face was set in determination as she threw on her jacket and swept out of the apartment. Velkan was sleeping soundly on the couch, having fallen asleep after exercising with Aislyn. Aislyn smiled at the thought of her uncle, he was really the only family she had left.

_I want to find Mom and Dad again so Velkan can go back to being a drummer…recording in studios and playing in shows out of state again…I don't want him to give up his dreams because of me! _

Aislyn pushed open the doors of the headquarters of the Holy Order in Orlando and looked around, there was no one in site but she knew all to well that there were holy spells placed to alert the monks whenever someone entered the complex. She had to look as nonchalant as possible, like any ordinary visit to Kate or Carl, hell even to one of her classes.

_The most obvious place that someone would try and enter the secure systems would be from one of the public computer terminals, thus they would be the most watched. However, if I entered from a computer that frequently looked at the Van Helsing files say Kate's computer, the spells would be fooled. I might even get lucky enough for Kate to have downloaded the files onto her desk top so she wouldn't have to keep revisiting the slow back-logged networks. _

Aislyn navigated the twists and turns of the labyrinth like headquarters on autopilot. She had to think of a good reason to get Kate out of her office…maybe she could sneak into Carl's lab and grab one of his non-lethal spinning fireworks and set it loose to make it look like an accident, that'd get her out of her office. Kate was always first on the scene for an office disaster, no questions, she just was. Especially if it involved Carl. Aislyn paused briefly at the turn for Kate's office and Carl's lab.

_Better to see if she's away before I play. _

She turned right and stopped, a few feet from Kate's door, slowing her steps and her very breath to a crawl, if there was one thing she learned from her time with Kate was that she was able to sense someone from a distance away, indeed if she was in her office sneaking up on her mentor would not look too good, so she made her presence slightly known. Practically tiptoeing to the door she peered in, no sign of Kate, and her computer was asleep.

_Score! _

Aislyn looked both ways before hopping behind the keyboard and entering in a complicated set of codes and another set of readjusted codes and one algorithm that would fool the detection software just long enough for her to grab what she needed. She strained her ears over the soft hum of the computer for footsteps of any kind; if anyone were to catch her on this computer she would be facing some serious questions. Time seemed to slow down, it seemed as Aislyn looked back to the door for what had to be the thousandth time. Finally the friendly, yet generic, background of all Holy Order computers popped up; a gentle stars cape with a cross in the middle of a supernova. Aislyn scanned the files and froze, someone was coming, and the footsteps grew louder, more pronounced. Aislyn looked around the office and ducted below the desk, a lame hiding spot, but she was fairly sure it wasn't Kate, as the footfalls sounded too heavy.

Wildman's forest-scent filled the air; Aislyn could hear the hunter's deep breaths as he stood in the doorframe.

"I coulda sworn…" He mumbled, the doorframe creaked a little as he leaned in, no doubt in his typical fashion, his arms clinging to the opposite ends of the frame and his body hanging forward. After what seemed like an eternity he pulled back with another creak, removing a piece of paper from the folds of his jacket he tacked it to Kate's door and left. Aislyn didn't move until his footsteps were well out of range. Popping back up her fingers flew over the keys and she winced.

_Five minutes already wasted…that algorithm won't last forever, I gotta refine that. _

Her eyes continued the search of files on her mentor's desktop and she clicked a few folders until she found what she was looking for.

_Perfect, now to get it in the flash drive._

Aislyn plugged in the mini flash drive and manipulated a few more algorithms, opened a hidden program and the download began. It would take approximately a minute to complete. She crouched behind the desk and waited tensely until the little upload bar vanished. She unplugged everything and hit the sleep button with 30 seconds left on the scrambling algorithm. Too close for her comfort. She slipped the flash drive into her pocket and took off down the hall, deciding to take a more complicated route out of the building since it was drawing close to 6AM and most of the hunters would be returning from missions, no one questioned when she came in early to have a lap around the building, and this route led directly to the training centers, she could easily slip into her gym clothes and half-heartedly beat around the punching bag for a while, just enough to look sweaty and then leave. No one would question her use of the facilities, she'd done it enough times to warrant a free pass.


End file.
